abc's byron pitts is in washington. >> reporter: the year, 1963. when a 34-year-old negro preacher had the audacity to dream aloud. >> we are determined to be free in '63. >> reporter: determined, perhaps, but not fully optimistic. organizers hoped for 100,000. a quarter million showed up. >> dr. martin luther king. >> reporter: and on august 28th, 1963, not a soul had a clue how it might turn out. edith lee paine was 12. she traveled by bus nine hours with her mother to be there on the mall. what did you think of dr. king? >> i held onto every word that he said, just like everyone else that was here. >> reporter: people watched live on television from around the world. both drawn by what might happen at the lincoln memorial. and still reeling from what did on the streets of birmingham weeks earlier. congressman john lewis, back then, the newly appointed chairman of the student nonviolent coordinating committee, was already there. >> when we met with president kennedy, he was so afraid of violence. >> how long can we be patient? >> reporter: like k